Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 43

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**

Am I still reeling from the encounter with the Rank 8 beast? Is that the reason this icy sensation wraps around me like a suffocating blanket?

Emma’s brow furrowed deeply as she pivoted towards the rest pod, her body suddenly freezing in place, as if caught in a trap.

She desperately attempted to call out to Edric, but her lips refused to cooperate; no sound escaped her throat, just a breathless silence.

What is this overwhelming power?

A wave of panic surged through her, but she fought to maintain her composure. Stay calm. The greater the peril, the more I must center myself.

Even Edric, who was a formidable Rank 9, sensed nothing amiss. This meant that whatever this force was, it was far beyond his capabilities. What in the world is it?

Her gaze flicked around, darting to and fro as she scanned the shadows that danced ominously around her. Then, a memory sparked in her mind—something Laura had once shared about the Chitinid. Could it possibly be one of them?

Suddenly, a rush of icy wind whooshed past her ear, sending a shiver cascading down her spine.

“Such a fragrant female,” a voice croaked, thick and slimy, dripping with repulsion.

From the periphery of her vision, Emma caught a glimpse of a grotesque face—human-like yet horrifyingly monstrous. It had hair, eyes, and ears, but the absence of a nose made it all the more unsettling.

A gaping maw stretched unnaturally wide, reaching from ear to ear, filled with sharp, glistening fangs that gleamed menacingly in the dim light. To make matters worse, its cheeks were adorned with a disturbing array of eyes, each a different hue, twitching and blinking at bizarre angles, as if they were alive in their own right.

Just the sight of it sent her stomach into a tumultuous churn.

A skeletal hand, shriveled and emaciated, reached out, its long, pale nails grazing her cheek before halting between her brows.

“I’ve never encountered such mental power before,” the creature rasped, its voice a sickly whisper. “You smell so sweet… Let me eat you.”

Eat your damn self! Emma seethed inwardly, a fire igniting within her.

If only I could move, I would swiftly slice the Chitinid with my blade.

How dare this abomination instill fear in others—utterly shameless.

“Emma!”

Edric’s voice sliced through the tension like a knife, laced with an unmistakable fear that sent a jolt through her.

She jerked her gaze towards him, relief flooding her as she realized he had finally sensed the imminent danger. His serpent tail lashed forward, coiling with intent to yank her away from the horror that loomed before her.

Beside him, Damian’s nine fox tails flared out, rushing to aid in her rescue.

But just as they reached her, both tails slammed against an invisible barrier, a shimmering wall erupting around Emma, forcefully hurling them back.

Their expressions darkened in an instant, the gravity of the situation settling heavily upon them.

Rank 11. It was a Rank 11 Chitinid.

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